Alex Kačaniklić
| clubnumber = 37 (2010-2011) 19 (2011) 31 (2011-2013) 11 (2013-2016) | debut = Norwich (h) (31 Mar 2012) | lastapp = Reading (a) (5 Mar 2016) | firstgoal = Norwich (h) (18 Aug 2012) | lastgoal = Rotherham (h) (29 Dec 2015) | joinedfrom = Liverpool, part exchange - 28 Aug 2010 | leftfor = Nantes, free - 1 Jul 2016 | leagueapps(gls) = 84 (10) | allapps(gls) = 100 (11) | otherclubs = Helsingborg IF (youth) Liverpool (youth) (from Fulham) (from Fulham) (from Fulham) Nantes (2016-present) | international = Sweden (2012-present) | apps(gls) = 19 (3) }} Alex Kačaniklić was a midfielder who played at Fulham from 2010 until 2016. Usually occupying a left-sided position, he has also represented Sweden at full international level. Alex made his debut for Fulham as a first-half substitute, coming on for Pavel Pogrebnyak in a 2-1 win at home to Norwich in March 2012. He spent four more seasons in Fulham's first team setup before his eventual release in summer 2016, whereby he moved to Nantes on a free transfer. =Career= Before Fulham Born in Helsingborg, Sweden, Alex was scouted as a 9-year-old to join his hometown club Helsingborg IF. He progressed steadily through the ranks here and around 2005/2006 began making appearances for the Swedish U16 and U17 squads. Throughout the 2006-07 season, he gradually began garnering interest from Manchester City, Cardiff and Liverpool after impressive displays for Helsingborg's youth side and for Sweden U17. As it was, Liverpool captured the young Kačaniklić in the summer transfer window of 2007 for £440,000. Alex remained at the club for the following three seasons, developing his style as a pacey left winger who is also adept at playing a central role in midfield, and progressed through to Liverpool's reserve team by the 2009-10 season. Fulham (2010-2016) At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, a deal was agreed between Liverpool and Fulham for Paul Konchensky to move to the merseyside club for a fee of just over £3.5 million plus two youth team players; Lauri Dalla Valle and Alex himself. Alex played with the Development squad over the next two seasons at Fulham, before given a chance to prove himself at a higher level whereby manager Martin Jol allowed him to move on loan for the rest of the season at Championship side Watford in January of 2011-12. His appearances for the Hornets had impressed and on 27th March 2012 he was recalled by Jol; this marked a minor breakthrough into the first team, making his debut only three days later against Norwich City at Craven Cottage. He began the day on the bench but was called into action after just 35 minutes after Pavel Pogrebnyak was injured, and nearly capped his day with a goal after striking a curling long-range effort onto the bar. Alex finished off the season with 4 appearances for the senior team, and was left in a good position to continue his establishment in the side at the commencement of 2012-13. On the first day of that season, he played the full 90 minutes on the left wing in place of Clint Dempsey (who refused to play due to wanting out of Craven Cottage) against Norwich and scored his debut goal in a 5-0 drubbing. A second goal followed in the London derby at Arsenal, where he scored Fulham's second in a thrilling 3-3 draw. He spent part of the season on loan at Championship side Burnley where he failed to impress heavily. On his return, he played out the second half of the season with Fulham scoring twice more, on New Years day away to West Brom and on the last game of the season away to Swansea. The 2013-14 season brought about change as a new manager in René_Meulensteen had replaced Jol after his sacking. This meant Alex had to impress to ensure a place in the side, and on 23 January 2014 he was given an extension on his contract running an extra year until summer 2015. Meulensteen did not last long in the job adn soon Felix Magath was in charge, and it became clear that Alex did not feature in his plans. He was played sparingly for the latter half of a dreadful season which saw Fulham relegated to the Championship, and after only one appearance in the first month of the 2014-15 season, he was shipped out to FC Copenhagen on loan for the entire season. However, he also signed a contract extension on the same day that would see him remain at Craven Cottage until 2016. He was recalled to Fulham in January 2015 by Kit Symons and scored his first goal in over a year when he grabbed the opener in a 2-1 victory over Reading at Craven Cottage. His second goal of the season came in bizarre fashion as he scored the opener in a 2-0 win away at Huddersfield Town after netting directly from a corner kick just over one minute in the match. He became second choice to new signing Ben Pringle at the start of 2015-16, however he started and netted the solitary goal in a 1-0 victory at Wycombe Wanderers in the first round of the League Cup. His appearances were often sporadic and uninspiring throughout 2015-16, and new manager Slaviša Jokanović decided not to keep Alex and he was released at the end of the season. After Fulham Alex signed for Nantes ahead of the new season in summer 2016. =Fulham Statistics= Appearances Reserves / U21 squad First team =Fulham Matches= External links and references Category:Players Category:Midfielders Category:Sweden